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Cape Town – The Wendy Williams Show with host Wendy Williams on BET (DStv 129), BET2 (DStv 135) and BET International (StarSat 167) will be broadcasting new daily episodes of the New York based talk show right through July for the third year in a row.
The same episode of The Wendy Williams Show, as shown in the United States, is seen on the BET channels here on the same day – a rarity among the American TV talk shows seen in South Africa.
For a third year in a row Wendy Williams will work to bring American viewers – and by implication South African viewers – new daily episodes during the time period where all the American TV talk shows as well as regular primetime shows on American television shut down and go into repeats before the new TV season starts in September.
It means that BET, BET2 and BET International from Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) will bring DStv and StarSat subscribers more new hours of content, instead of almost three months of repeats of the show during the time period when there isn't really "new" American television.
The past two years of Williams staying behind in her Chelsea-based studio when the rest go on holiday, has put her ahead of the pack come September – the talk show has showed major ratings growth each of the past two years as Wendy bonds with her viewers and gain new ones with her "Hot Topics" addressing current Hollywood news and celebrity gossip that viewers find irresistible.
The Wendy Williams Show will now do new episodes until 23 July. It will then return on 14 September for its 7th season.
'I love what I do'
"This is one instance in which we don't mind sounding like a broken record," says Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein in a press statement announcing a longer season for The Wendy Williams Show again.
"Thanks to Wendy, her terrific production team and our strong lineup of affiliates, we now have one of only a handful of talk shows that have not only survived but thrived in daytime."
"Very rarely in our long careers have we seen a show perform like this – one that trends up sweep after sweep, routinely posts year-over-year growth and sees gains in almost every market as ratings for most other shows sink. Incredible."
"Who needs the [American] summer off?" says Wendy Williams. "I love what I do and am so excited to able to share in the amazing enthusiasm and energy of my audience at home and in the studio, including those who are home from school."
"This is a phenomenal experience and I am so grateful to spend the summer with them, spilling all those juicy Hot Topics and sharing laughs."
